A procedure that uses radio waves to treat chronic low back pain provided long-lasting relief to a small group of patients, researchers report. Called intradiscal biacuplasty (IDB), the procedure uses two water-cooled needles to blast radiofrequency energy at the nerve fibers within and around a spinal disc that’s begun to degenerate but has not ruptured, explained lead researcher Dr. Michael Gofeld. “Basically you’re destroying the nerve fibers, which will lead to the elimination of pain,”…
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
A detailed guide to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), including its symptoms, causes, and effective treatment strategies to improve energy and well-being.
What is a Quell Device?
Chronicillness.co Site of United States values innovation, so when a new FDA-approved device comes out, we want our patients to be the first to learn about the possible benefits. You may have heard of a TENS unit, a device our patients have been using for years. A TENS unit is a small device that sends electrical stimulation to the nerves to correct any misfiring nerves and stop them from sending pain signals to the brain.…
9 Questions to Ask About Postsurgical Pain Management
One of the best ways to ease anxiety about a major event, like surgery, is to plan ahead. Conversations about postsurgical pain management need to happen before your procedure, so you can focus on your recovery after surgery is complete. Here are 9 questions you should ask your attending health care professional before having surgery. What should I do before my surgery? Make sure you understand your health care provider’s instructions about eating and drinking.…
Swimming for Degenerative Disc Disease Pain
As summer approaches, more families are heading to the pool to cool off. It is also a time when many who suffer from a wide range of pain conditions take advantage of the pool to help ease their pain. But does swimming actually help reduce degenerative disc disease pain? There is a bit of a debate within the chronic pain community about this exact question. Some argue swimming can worsen back pain, while others say…
Don’t Wake Mom Today
This Mother’s Day, take pity on the woman who cooks, cleans, shops, fusses and worries over you. Before you overwhelm her with breakfast in bed, let her sleep in. It’s no secret that women are chronically sleep deprived, and moms, especially working moms, are at the top of that list. According to a survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, almost three out of four American women between the ages of 30 and 60 don’t…
Why Do We Feel Pain?
When you drop something on your foot or slam your finger in a drawer, you know that pain will usually follow. Did you ever wonder why you feel that pain? Feeling pain in response to an injury is a signal that your body has been damaged in some way. Or, if you have an illness, headache, or another type of pain, it’s a signal to your brain that something is not right. Our nervous system is made up of…
Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain is a common reason for visits to the doctor, affecting people of all ages and activity levels. An estimated 8 in 10 people experience this musculoskeletal disorder at some point in their lives. It accounts for more sick leave and disability than any other medical condition. It is easy to write off low back pain; however, when the pain becomes a chronic condition, it can significantly impact the quality of life. Causes…
Non-Opioid Pain Relief Options
Each year in the United States, millions of prescriptions are written for opioids to relieve chronic pain. When used appropriately, they can be a viable treatment option for some patients. But, there are health risks associated with the use of opioids. Concerns about opioid addiction have led to increased regulation and changes in opioid prescribing guidelines. With the current opioid epidemic in the United States, healthcare providers and their patients are increasingly seeking non-opioid pain relief options. Non-opioid…
46 Million Americans Suffer From Arthritis
Arthritic disease is the most common cause of disability in the United States and now affects 46 million Americans, or more than 21 percent of the adult population, a major new report finds. That number is expected to rise even higher as baby boomers age, so that by 2030, 40 percent of American adults will suffer from some form of arthritic disease, the researchers said. Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….…
Hip Flexor Stretches for Back Pain
Back pain affects 80 percent of us at some point in our lives. The good news is that for many people suffering from low back pain, exercises to stretch the hip flexor muscles can help. The hip flexors are a group of muscles than run from your thighs all the way up to your low back. They include muscles with strange-sounding names such as the ilacus, the psoas, and the rectus femoris. As a group, these muscles let…